


at best you find a little remedy, at worst the world will sing along

by gryphonfeather



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Acapella, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, M/M, Pitch Perfect AU, Singing, and they were ROOMMATES
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28243602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryphonfeather/pseuds/gryphonfeather
Summary: Welcome to Barden University, where the Hogwarts houses are dorms, where Harry plays soccer, and where Tom is ready to take over the world, starting with the acapella scene. Also Tom and Harry are roommates.Yes, it’s cheesy, but it’s my Pitch Perfect AU, so there.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28
Collections: Harry Potter





	at best you find a little remedy, at worst the world will sing along

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from “To Noise Making (Sing)” by Hozier.  
> I have a playlist that fits these first couple of chapters perfectly - find it [here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0NxJGmxd60qLj3qFmlZIPJ?si=vH1wivkDTmaYJTDuT5kMAg).

Tom reluctantly stepped out of the taxi and into the bedlam his nightmares were made of. 

_ Freshman move-in week. _

He was surrounded by outbursts of emotion as far as the eye could see - girls embracing their friends and jumping up and down while holding hands, bros slapping each other on the back till the other fell over, weepy already-homesick children embracing their parents, desperate parents trying to drag their embarrassed offspring back into their cars, and more. The sounds of boxes being unloaded, sobbing, squealing, far too much small talk, and megaphones attempting to restore order were undercut by speakers loudly playing the top-40 hits from three years ago.  _ Do they think “Despacito” is still cool? _ Tom wondered.  _ Or are they trying to appeal to a sense of nostalgia for 2017? I don’t understand. _

Fresh-faced Resident Assistants weaved their way through the various groups in neon green polo shirts and khakis, wielding clipboards and customer-service smiles like weapons. One of these aposematic creatures came up to Tom as he was lifting his second suitcase out of the cab’s trunk. “Hello there, and welcome to Barden University!”

An awkward pause ensued, and Tom realized that they were waiting for him to speak. He straightened up and turned around to be met with the plastic smile of a short, perky blonde in a headband, whose eyes widened a touch at the motion. “Can I… help you?” Tom quirked an eyebrow when the girl didn’t respond right away.

In deference to the heat, he had donned a short-sleeved button down in light gray linen, which was tucked into olive green pants while a cognac leather belt complemented the dark brown leather of his boots. Tom knew he wasn’t overdressed for the occasion, so it must be him instead. He sighed internally. Sometimes the face he inherited from his father was useful. Sometimes it just slowed things down, like now. He resisted the urge to rub his temples and ease the oncoming headache.

The girl shook herself a little and started her spiel again. “Welcome to Barden University! I’m here to help you check in. Which dorm will you be staying in?” She reached out her hand, most likely for the room assignment page he’d been mailed two weeks beforehand.

Tom didn’t have to check the assignment sheet because he’d memorized it the day he got it and then thrown it in the recycling. He replied curtly, “Slytherin.”

Her smile faltered a bit, and she curled her hand back to shield herself with her clipboard again. “Well, you’re in luck, it’s just a short walk that direction,” she pointed to Tom’s left, “the big grey one with the ivy.” Tom nodded.  _ Just get this over with. _ “Well, make sure you keep your campus ID on you at all times, and you’ll have received an email about signing up for meal plans if you haven’t already. Um, the only thing left on my list is to ask that you please don’t clog up the hallways with boxes out of consideration for others. Do you have a second trip to make?” She glanced pointedly downward at the two suitcases and one duffel bag sitting on the sidewalk.

Tom bristled inwardly but did his best to keep a calm face. “That’s it for me. I shouldn’t have a problem with that last one.” He smiled at the nameless blonde, showing his teeth. She inadvertently took a step backward. “Is that everything?” 

“I- I believe so,” she managed to get out. 

Tom inclined his neck to her. “Well then, I hope you have a nice day.” He bent down to stack a duffel bag sideways on top of the shorter suitcase, and when he stood up again, she was gone.  _ Good riddance. _

He wheeled his way into the blessedly cool hallways of Slytherin, one of four freshman dorms at Barden. From what he’d heard, the school fostered a healthy rivalry between the dorms, having them compete for everything from “cleanest dorm at inspection” to an ultimate frisbee game to a talent show. Straightening his shoulders, Tom resolved to himself that even though this intracollege rivalry was bullshit, he would make sure Slytherin won this year. He wouldn’t stand for being part of anything other than the best.

The girl had been correct in at least one part of her briefing - the hallways were crammed full of boxes and fuller of weeping family units. Tom sneered. It was one thing to be an eighteen-year-old going out into the world for the first time and being scared (pathetic) and another to be a full-grown adult crying at being parted from your adult child (actually pitiful, these people were part of functioning society?). He hoisted his backpack further onto his shoulder and pushed his way through to the far set of elevators. (Of course he smiled and made nice as he went, he wasn’t foolish enough to alienate his future classmates and their parents. Some of these were powerful people. It was just… so overtly emotional. He would never understand that.)

Tom let out an audible sigh upon reaching his dorm. Barden’s college dorms were quite nice, relative to other places he had toured - he had a large room to share with a single roommate, and a half bath. Shower facilities were down the hallway. His roommate apparently hadn’t shown up yet, which meant Tom could choose the bed on the left and start setting up. 

It’s not like he had brought any furniture - the desk lamp was scrounged from Oxfam - so it didn’t take long to unload his clothes and belongings into the closet and dresser that had been provided.

Around the time Tom was shaking out his blazer from the bottom of his bag and trying to get the correct drape of the shoulder out of the cheap hangers, a short boy with messy black hair stumbled into the room, a suitcase dragging from the elbow of one of the arms holding a large cardboard box. Tom was surprised he could see anything over the top of the box, actually. “Hi there!” The boy set down the box on the floor and waved at Tom, slightly out of breath. “My name’s Harry, Harry Potter, and I’m going to be sharing with you, I guess. What’s your name?” 

“I’m Tom Riddle.” He abandoned the closet, stepping forward with his hand out.  _ Start out on a good foot, and all that. _ “Nice to meet you, Harry.” And it was - Harry wasn’t hard to look at, with bright green eyes behind black rectangular hipster glasses and a golden tan. 

Harry also had a remarkably friendly smile as he shook Tom’s hand. “I’m sure we’ll be great friends, Tom.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! The lovely [Duender](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duender/pseuds/Duender) is helping me with plotting this out, so be sure to go check out her other stuff!  
> This is the one fic I actually have an outline for, so crossing fingers the plot will make sense!  
> I will periodically be posting music for this one, so I have two things for you to do.  
> 1\. Follow me on tumblr [@gryphonfeather](https://gryphonfeather.tumblr.com/) for the behind-the-scenes stuff. Given enough incentive, I may make character playlists! Anyone?  
> 2\. Please suggest songs in the comments! I would be thrilled to see what you think matches the Vibes(tm).


End file.
